Ten EU Members Face Action Over Failure To Implement Electronic Communications Rules

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

18 April 2005

The European Commission announced on Thursday that it has launched legal proceedings against ten EU Member States to remedy infringements of EU rules on electronic communications.

Pointing to defects in national laws and incorrect practical application of EU rules in Germany, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Finland, the EC explaind that the opening of the proceedings follows concerns identified in the Commission’s Implementation Reports on the electronic communications sector, the most recent of which was published at the end of 2004.

Speaking with regard to the legal action last week, Information Society and Media Commissioner, Viviane Reding reiterated the importance of implementing the EU rules fully and correctly.

"Ineffective implementation of these rules threatens the goal, which is vital to EU productivity and growth, of building a competitive electronic communications sector within the EU...Following the first decisions of the Court of Justice against Member States that have not yet fully transposed the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications into their national laws, the Commission is now determined to highlight - and press Member States to remedy - defects in national law and practical implementation," she explained, adding that:

"One of our prime concerns is to ensure that national regulatory authorities (NRAs) are given the full range of powers provided for under the EU rules, in order to ensure that competition is effective and that consumers are protected."

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